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Bubba Gump, a closer look
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 Official Bubba Gump Honolulu page! |
 Gem checks out Bubba Gump Shrimp Co! |
 Yelper's on Bubba Gump Alo Moana! |
 Lots of Bubba Gump Shrimp co. Reviews w/TA! |
A Couple of quick-look blogs, too:
Late afternoon view overlooking parts of Downtown Honolulu, Kakaako, and Honolulu Pier area
Aloha!
2/10/11 - I don't care what anyone says - I love Bubba Gump Shrimp Company!
Ok, ok - I'm not talking strictly about the food, but more for serving a particular niche in Kumi and I's night-time agenda. I mean, when we wanna enjoy eachother's company on a care-free, hang-loose, no-pressure occasion, say... right after work, early on a lazy weekday evening, or simply when nothing else really pops into our heads, we find Bubba Gump at the Ala Moana Shopping Center a safe, convenient, go-to spot that seldom disappoints. It's not nightclub-stylish or even Mai Tai-ish right nextdoor, so we can step it down a notch, yet it's not a dive that leaves you so comfortable, the taut in your social string goes limp. It kinda picks a good note between party-central and family-friendly, if you know what I mean - too much of the former, and you invite too many drunken fools; too much of the latter, and you can't have any adult fun! It's just a great place to throw down a few drafts and chill, is all!
I'm just glad they've dispensed with the silly games their waitstaff were forced to impose on us poor customers! Remember that? Talk about uncomfortable! There were a few poor servers, I felt sooo bad for them struggling through those scripted routines, it was absolutely painful! These days, the most they do, and not always, is quiz you on Forrest Gump trivia, and it's only happened after we've developed a little mutual repoire with our particular person. In other words, it doesn't seem so forced anymore! Good, helpful, fun-loving service is one thing, but as for entertainment, that's better left to the entertainers!
The outdoor area fronting the bar is usally first to fill, which is why we prefer a spot inside, in one of the many different sections available. It's much more mellow in certain areas, and that same cool atmosphere is prevalent through every nook and cranny of the restaurant. It's a well-executed smattering of Americana with a bayou-like Southern touch, along with, of course, that most loveable of over-achieving under-achievers the world has ever known!
Isn't this place cool? I love it! However, a good atmosphere and a boatload of props alone aren't enough to keep us coming back for long! Even with a cool surrounding and lots and lots of beer, you still gotta have something decent to eat alongside, right?! For us, that one something definitely fitting the bill has to be their Shrimper's Net Catch, a 3/4 lb. ($11.99) or 1 1/2 lb. bucket of shell-on shrimp lightly boiled and presented in either a garlic spice broth, a Cajun spice broth, or a combination of the two. It's a mandatory item that keeps us coming back again and again, and being a pupu (appetizer) dish, we continue ordering it without hesitation as soon as we're seated, whether staying longer for entrees or not! Its pieces are on the small side, but their shells are removed easily by simply pushing the back, near the tail, which forces the meat out whole. Two sets of two fingers, along with your chompers, is all you ever need to wet-wipe afterwards!
Taste-wise, it's a simple, no-frills dish that always works. The meat is tender, soft, moist, sweet, and consistently cooked to perfection, the natural taste of shrimp accentuated by the flavorful and aromatic, yet never overpowering broths. The presentation fits the fun, festive mood of Bubba Gump like a glove, arriving in a bucket that is tipped-over at the last moment onto a small platter layered with waxed paper:
I gotta admit, most times here, it's a couple of tall drafts, an order of Shrimper's Net Catch, and we're out! However, there are several other dishes we've found extremely good, as well. The only time we've ever experienced an exception this rule was after ordering a dish that is now discontinued, thank goodness, a kind of deep-fried, sweet-sour shrimp that was absolutely horrible! All I can say is, Bubba Gump, don't try going local! Stick to American and Southern specialties, as it was covered with a conconction of our typical local-style Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, plus some other ornerous ingredients that kinda melted into the batter, producing a sticky, mushy mess! As stated, it's now discontinued, so you don't have to worry anymore!
Actually, there was one other dish I didn't find particularly great, but perhaps more a result of personal preference than anything else. To me, panko breadcrumbs are great with chicken and pork, but when it comes to fish and vegetables, I'll take a good beer batter over katsu every time! Served with chipotle ranch and bbq dipping sauces and impaled on a giant tower, you gotta give 'em props for presentation and portions, but this katsu batter was a little too heavy for me:
From here on-out, it only gets better, beginning with a bucket of steamed shellfish ($22.99), comprised of a simple mix of lobster claw, snow crab legs, clams, mussells, and shrimp. Alongside was a bowl of Jasmine rice, which was mushy-bad, cole slaw, and a slice of garlic bread:
I mean, it's steamed seafoods - nothing much added, nothing much taken. As long as they're not freezer-burned, too skimpy, or dry 'n overcooked, you can't go wrong, especially not with snow crab and lobster!
After many, many visits of net catch and simply-steamed seafoods, Kumi and I didn't actually have the highest of expectations when venturing beyond the secure confines of our normal orders, but we were decently to extremely well-pleased after expanding upon the menu. A bit of help was afforded from a couple of different bloggers upon this endeavor, who were kind enough to share a few shots with us. I haven't tried the first (left) one, a Mama Blue's Southern Charmed Fried Shrimp ($16.75), courtesty of Craig Miyamoto and his blog A Place For My Taste, but I have done the Shrimper's Heaven ($20.50), a foursome of coconut shrimp, chilly shrimp, fried shrimp, and shrimp tempura, along with fries and sauces, provided by Food Trails. Thanks guys!
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I'll finish with two entrees I'd recommend anytime. The first, a Shrimp New Orleans ($16.99), served with Jasmine rice and a side of garlic bread:
Like most other dishes here, the actual pieces of shrimp aren't the biggest, but almost across the board, at least when not covered in some type of coating and deep-fried, we've always found shrimp cooked lightly and to perfection, coming sweet, moist, tender, and snappy-firm. Once again, that Jasmine rice needed some work, but the generously-provided, gravy-like sauce made the rice more than edible after a good soaking! They say the mixture of butter, garlic, and spices comes from their staff down at the French Quarter in New Orleans - now, my sister says the place has some of the best food in the world, but I've never been there so I'm not gonna even try to guess if it's authentic or not! All I know is it's some pretty darn good stuff!
Our last dish today is a Lt. Dan's Drunken Shrimp ($16.99):
Once again, broiled to perfection, the spice-covered shrimp were delicious in and of themselves, and once again, the sauce was killer! Cuts of smoky Andouille sausage, fresh-cut tomatoes, a creamy mashed potato, and that rich Bourbon sauce was a match made in heaven, while thin-cut fried potato provided an extra crunch and added splash of presentation.
Man, I'm getting hungry! Those little pieces of shrimp, festive sauces, and casual-fun atmosphere - Bubba Gump, you are definitely calling me out! With so many interesting new restaurants and so many different types of foods out these days, however, me thinks it'll probably be a while before hitting them up again. Constantly returning to the same restaurants over and over again is like going to Vegas each and every year on your only vacation days - once in a while is fine, but not every year! Actually, look who's talkin' - Kumi and I are actually headed there in a couple of months from now! Believe me, though, it's not because I'm particularly fond of the place (I'm always ripping people who go so often!), but only because it's been over 10 years now and Kumi's never experienced it yet! Everyone has to go at least once, right? Can you believe these Vacations Hawaii guys? $499 for 5 nights, including air fare, hotel, hotel transfers, lodging, and meals? It's inkwedible!!! Not that we'll be taking advantage of every meal ticket by eating only at their designated restaurants, though - we'll want to try other famous spots while there, so if anyone has suggestions as to where to eat in Vegas, please lemme know where they are!
For some reason, we've been visiting a bunch of Korean spots lately - trio of authentic Korean restaurants, a Japanese-run Korean restaurant, and a tourist-friendly, hole-in-the-wall Korean yakiniku spot in Waikiki that barely anyone knows about. Then there's a cool Italian place, as well as a popular local hide-away, while the new Jin Din Rou and Nihao Noodle Houses are both definitely on my hit list.
Until then, y'all take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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